Arlington Heights park pressed to include Nativity scene for holidays

Ex-resident files complaint for privately funded display to be included

November 24, 2012|By Sally Ho, Chicago Tribune reporter

A complaint over a rejected Nativity scene has been filed against the Arlington Heights Park District.

The Chicago-based Thomas More Society, on behalf of former Arlington Heights resident Jim Finnegan, sent a letter to Park District officials and village leaders this week asking that a privately funded Nativity scene be allowed in the public North School Park.

The law firm cited similar religious displays in public forums including Daley Plaza in Chicago and at the state Capitol in Springfield.

Finnegan, who now lives in Barrington, is also chairman of the Illinois Nativity Scene Committee. His complaint read in part: "You cannot delete 'Christ' from 'Christmas.'"

Finnegan said he offered the depiction of the birth of Jesus to the Park District earlier this year and wanted it included at the park where the village's annual holiday lights are on display. The Nativity scene would have been marked as privately funded, he said.

"There's no animosity here, but we have a right," Finnegan said.

But at a Nov. 7 board meeting, the Park District's commissioners discussed Finnegan's proposal and decided against including the Nativity scene, saying it would stick to its annual theme of children's toys.

The toys theme has been the same for the past 21 years, according to Steve Scholten, the executive director of the Park District.

The display, which includes more than 70,000 lights, bears, soldiers and Frosty the Snowman, as well as seasonal symbols such as a sleigh, wreath and dreidel, was unveiled Friday evening at the village's annual tree-lighting ceremony and runs through Jan. 6.

Because the park's display includes a Hanukkah toy, the dreidel, Finnegan's complaint noted "no legally defensible reason" for the exclusion of the Nativity scene. Having a Nativity scene is a "legitimate request" and it being included in the public display is a "constitutionally protected private expression of religious belief," according to the letter.

Scholten said the complaint was being handled by the Park District's attorneys and declined to comment further.

The village's public holiday celebration has tried to be inclusive and has always had a Christmas tree, said Mayor Arlene Mulder. She also said St. John United Church of Christ across the street from North School Park has had a Nativity scene in the past.

"We've tried to celebrate everyone's holiday as a community, and the tree lighting is the kickoff," Mulder said. "The purpose of the park was to help people celebrate and to bring small children to see the twinkling lights."